Braamfontein; CIDA Citichat 1 June 2001

CITICHAT 21/2001 - 1 June 2001


Braamfontein Plans, Inner City Investors’ Briefing & CIDA City Campus

An exciting two weeks! Last week, Professor Leila Patel of Wits University hosted a small presentation/cocktail party in regard to the university's plans relative to the city and, more particularly, as they relate to Braamfontein., Colin Bundy, Vice Chancellor before moving to the UK last year actually started the Wits initiative when he expressed disappointment with the fact that Wits had become an introverted campus, turning its back on the city and Braamfontein. Grads from Wits will no doubt recall pleasant times spent in the pubs and tearooms of 'Braamies' nearly all of which have progressively disappeared over the past decade. The university now want to see Braamfontein renewed and vital once again with definite linkages between the institution and the urban area. They also want to promote Braamfontein into developing as an IT area as well as linking its cultural base with the University's new cultural developments. Whilst all of this is of course good news, in fact excellent news, it does seem to fly somewhat in the face of logic when one hears of massive internal retail and eating facilities about to be created on campus. Yes, well, academics!

Tuesday this week was the Inner City's Investors Briefing which was a great success judging from the feedback we received and from the point of view of the level of interest aroused. There were 350 people in the 50 th Floor 'Top of the Carlton' venue to hear the Executive Mayor, Amos Masondo, the Provincial Government MEC for Finance Jabu Moleketi, Dr. Gert Dry the Chairman of the Business Coalition and Graeme Reid and myself presenting details of the extraordinary upsurge in projects and opportunities that have been such a feature of 2001 to date. I see the Star captioned me as the 'former' director of the CJP! I checked the obituary columns to see if they knew something that I didn't but I'm still here! Even the traditional skeptics have phoned to say that they felt it was a successful briefing and the occasion has definitely 'raised the bar' in terms of improved perceptions and knowledge of where we are at and where we are going.

One of the attendees was Taddy Blecher who was understandably excited, "over the moon" might be more apt, as he had just heard that his CIDA City Campus has been accredited and will shortly receive recognition as a fully fledged university. This new city university occupies what was previously an Investec office building situated between Fox and Commissioner Streets (the address is 54 Commissioner). I mentioned the CIDA (Community and Individual Development Association) City Campus very briefly in a Citichat some months ago but it is a truly remarkable story worthy of much more coverage.

It was started only two years ago which is in itself a remarkable achievement. It focuses on historically disadvantaged South Africans providing a practical four year Bachelor of Business Administration Degree that emphasises entrepreneurship, business and computer skills. The intellectual components of course are all the traditional business subjects, Accounts 1,2,3, 4; Economics 1,2, 3; Finance 1,2,3,4; Operations; Marketing 1,2,3,4; Statistics; Maths; etc. etc. But to these are added people skills such as personal finance, insurance, business and government, computer, professional and life skills, principle-centred leadership, professionalism, 'Ubuntu', philanthropy, creativity, self-esteem, problem solving skills and thinking power. They offer over 40 different sports, clubs and societies. And the punch line is that each student 'costs' the institution only R1 600-00 per year, a tenth of costs of traditional institutions. How do they do it? Innovative use of multimedia technology - television - CCTV- video projection on large screens. The students run the campus and the administration offices; the institution partners with businesses who make donations in kind; they also partner with other tertiary education institutions and business schools who make their courses, curricula, materials and facilities available to them and they supplement their own staff with expertise freely provided by professionals in the private sector.

Values are learnt by the students through having to assist in running the administration, filing, typing, cleaning, cooking, maintenance all helping to provide a practical approach whilst also doing community work that is done on the side - Each student has to pay towards their education - R350 in year one and R100 per month in each succeeding year.

There are currently 1200 students on campus - they are planning to grow to at least

4 000 by 2005 - the pass rate at the end of year one was 75% - their daily attendance rates are 97% - in the Edgars entrance exams for part-time work their students excelled many scoring 100% in the tests resulting in 150 of them being employed.

And they make their students work! An integrated teaching system covers 8 hours a day instead of the standard 3 to 4 hours over 40 to 44 weeks per year compared to the standard 34 to 39 weeks for 4 years as opposed to 3. And the discipline is rigorous - come late and you won't get admitted to lectures, miss a certain amount of time and you're out altogether. And it works. The place hums with energy and the commitment and enthusiasm of the students is palpable. Here are a bunch of young men and women who are getting an opportunity that the mainstream system denies them and they are clearly grabbing that opportunity with both hands.

Amongst many causes deserving of financial support, this is a pearl! It is a direct investment in the future of the country whilst taking cognisance of the inequities of the past. Prof Nick Binedell, Director of the Business School of the University of Pretoria, succinctly sums it up; :"In my many years of tertiary education I have never come across a higher level of commitment, innovation and creativity being applied to a programme of adult learning, and the excellent use of available resources to match."

And its happening in the Inner City, Yeah!



This week's eatery is a great coffee bar and light lunch venue, the Brazilian in the Carlton Centre. Their coffee is strong (as coffee should be) and their menu with its tramezzino, focaccias salads and other goodies is excellent. Presided over by Maria with the always cheerful Bebe and Daniela plus the backroom production team of ladies, we're going to miss the convenience, quality and friendliness when we move at the end of June.



Finally - the Braamfontein Spruit Trust and various Community bodies are going to be celebrating World Environment Day on Sunday 3rd June at Delta Park Environment Centre in Victory Park starting at 08h30 (meet in the car park where safe parking is available) with mystery tours, launch of winter bird spotting competition, bird walks, cross country horse show with the River Rangers, guide dogs, craft stalls, etc.,etc.. Take a picnic brunch and join in the fun - more info from Andrew Rowland on 082-782.1103.